Jerez de la Frontera, 4th May 2017 The Copa Jerez is back like never before. Every two years restaurants from the seven countries with the greatest culinary tradition highlight the excellent harmony of Sherry wines with world haute cuisine through a spectacular competition. Now in its seventh edition, the competition is broadening its horizons with the Copa Jerez Forum, an encounter in which these wines share the limelight with gastronomic expertise. This time, together with the excitement of the competition and the privilege of watching the best chefs and sommeliers in the world presenting their creations live, it will be possible here in Jerez de la Frontera to enjoy lectures, show cooking and demonstrations at the hand of great names in international gastronomy.
On the 12th and 13th of June the Bodega San Ginés, seat of the Consejo Regulador, will host figures like Josep Roca, Andoni Luis Aduriz, François Chartier, Ángel León and Ricard Camarena, who will contribute their personal vision on wine and gastronomy in a full programme of lectures, demonstrations and wine activities aimed exclusively at professionals. These sessions will allow sommeliers of international prominence to reveal in depth the gastronomic importance of Sherry wines, and allow chefs to demonstrate its application in haute cuisine.
This way we will be able to discover the bonds between these wines and one of the best restaurants in the world, El Celler de Can Roca, holder of three Michelin stars and for a decade positioned in the top five of the World’s 50 Best, and winner in 2013 and 2015. In “Sherry and El Celler: life amongst roots, chalk and albariza”, Pitu Roca, head sommelier and co-proprietor of the prestigious Girona restaurant will demonstrate once again why he is one of Sherry’s most outstanding promoters by explaining their influence on the development of his own restaurant.
For his part Andoni Luis Aduriz, with 20 years of culinary innovation at the head of his two Michelin starred restaurant Mugaritz in Rentería will, along with Guillermo Cruz, the restaurant’s sommelier, give an inspirational lecture titled “Artisans of time: domains of the singular” in which they will speak on the singularities or unique qualities shared by Mugaritz and Sherry wines.
The Canadian François Chartier will lead us to discover “Molecular matching and Sherries” as part of the incessant research work he has undertaken since he won the prize for the Best Sommelier in the World (Grand Prix Sopexa) in 1994. He is without doubt one of the most knowledgeable people on gastronomic harmonies and is the author of cult books and an inspiration to chefs. He has appeared in television programmes, press articles and specialist publications, and will enrich Jerez with his skills thanks to the Copa Jerez Forum.
Chef Ángel León is at the forefront of avant-garde cuisine in Cádiz with his two Michelin starred restaurant Aponiente in El Puerto de Santa María. Known to everybody as the “chef of the sea”, he will be participating in the Copa Jerez Forum along with sommelier Juan Ruiz Henestrosa to share their experience in the incorporation of Sherry into a range of gastronomic delights in which the sea is the star of the show.
Along with these lectures from leading professionals in world gastronomy, Jerez itself will become a great gastronomic capital stimulating debate with workshops and show cooking with expert oenologists from Jerez and leading sommeliers from around the world. Sherry wines will be at the very heart of all these events, as well as live cooking demonstrations which will also form part of the programme. Among the proposals will be a comparison of fritura gaditana (fried fish Cádiz style) and tempura (fried fish Japanese style) - internationally renowned gourmet products from Andalusian gastronomy compared with new trends in food harmonies.
With a great salon of bodegas and their brands to bring to a close two intense days of Sherry and its harmonies with food, those attending will be able to extend the experience in the true wine capital that is Jerez by getting to know in depth its oenological patrimony, its bodega culture and its cuisine through exclusive activities and offers at bodegas, wine shops and restaurants throughout the city.
COPA JEREZ FORUM PROGRAMME
MONDAY 12th JUNE
Morning Bodega San Ginés (Consejo Regulador Vinos de Jerez)
9.30 - Josep Roca (El Celler de Can Roca ***)
“Sherry and El Celler: Life among roots, chalk and albariza”
10.30 – Dialogue between winemakers I: Eduardo Ojeda & Ramiro Ibáñez
“The first vineyards of Spain are regaining their importance”
11.00 – Ferrán Centelles (Sommelier at the El Bulli Foundation)
“Sherry and El Bulli: The legacy of Juli Soler”
11.50 - Ángel León & Juan Ruiz (Aponiente **)
“The generous host”
12.40 – Tables of the world & Sherry I: Ödenturm (Germany), Falsled Kro (Denmark) and En Rama (United States)
13.10 Ricard Camarena (Ricard Camarena)
“A contemporary look at the wines of Jerez from the kitchen”
Afternoon Bodega San Ginés (Consejo Regulador Vinos de Jerez)
17.00 François Chartier (Best Sommelier in the World 1994)
“Molecular matching and Sherry”
17.50 Tables of the world & Sherry II: Casa Marcial (Spain), Podium Onder de Dom (Holland) and The Ritz London (United Kingdom)
18.20 – Dialogue between winemakers II: Montserrat Molina & Luis Pérez
“New horizons in biological ageing”
19.00 – Dialogue between winemakers III: Paola Medina & Antonio Flores
“Alternatives to the solera: Vintage Sherries, an option for the future”
19.30 – Andoni Luis Aduriz & Guillermo Cruz (Mugaritz **)
“Artisans of time: domains of the singular”
Evening Cloisters of Santo Domingo – tasting/concert
21.30 – Josep Roca (El Celler de Can Roca **) & Diego del Morao (guitarist)
Tasting/concert “De tal palo, tal Jerez”
TUESDAY 14TH JUNE
Morning Bodega San Ginés (Consejo Regulador Vinos de Jerez)
9.45 – José Antonio Pavón (Director DO Jabugo ham) & César Saldaña (Director DO Jerez)
Workshop: matching Jabugo ham and Sherry
10.15 - Guillermina Sánchez (El Cultivo cheesemakers)
Workshop: matching artisan cheese with Sherry
11.00 “Cuisine without frontiers: almadraba tuna”
11.30 – Fernando Córdoba (El Faro del Puerto & Tsunahachi – Tokyo)
“Tempura v Fritura: Tokyo and Cádiz, two visions”
12.10 – Tasting of tempura and fritura with biologically aged Sherry
12.30 - Salon of bodegas & brands
Evening Cloisters of Santo Domingo
21.00 – VII Copa Jerez prize-giving ceremony
21.45 – Gala dinner and special flamenco performance
If you are a professional interested in attending the Copa Jerez Forum you can find information on the different inscription formats on our website www.copajerez.com where you will also be able to purchase the accreditation essential to enjoying all the activities.
